Pied Oystercatcher
Haematopus longirostris
The Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) is a uncommon oystercatcher found in 2 countries, weighing about 614 g. The pied oystercatcher is a species of oystercatcher.
About the Pied Oystercatcher
The pied oystercatcher is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. The similar South Island pied oystercatcher occurs in New Zealand.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The name "oystercatcher" is something of a misnomer for this species, because they seldom eat oysters, which are found mainly on rocky coastlines. Pied oystercatchers frequent sandy coastlines, where they feed mainly on bivalve molluscs, which are prised apart with their specially adapted bill. These adaptations allow the Pied oystercatchers to slip their bills between the ventral edges of these shelled organisms, further allowing them to sever the shells and reach the edible flesh inside.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Pied Oystercatcher can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Pied Oystercatcher?
- The name "oystercatcher" is something of a misnomer for this species, because they seldom eat oysters, which are found mainly on rocky coastlines. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pied Oystercatcher?
- The Pied Oystercatcher is a large sized bird weighing about 614 g.
- Where can you see a Pied Oystercatcher?
- The Pied Oystercatcher occurs in 2 countries, including Australia and Indonesia.
- What birds look similar to a Pied Oystercatcher?
- The Pied Oystercatcher is most easily confused with the Variable Oystercatcher, the Sooty Oystercatcher and the South Island Oystercatcher.
- Is the Pied Oystercatcher endangered?
- The Pied Oystercatcher is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pied Oystercatcher for real
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